The state Teachers’ Retirement System moved swiftly after Hastert’s sentencing by ending his $16,622-a-year annuity from 16 years of teaching in a far western suburb of Chicago, where the sexual abuse to which he admitted occurred. But Hastert will not lose his $28,025 annual pension from his six years as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.

He explained that his optimism is based on negotiations among rank-and-file lawmakers he says have been meeting this month in groups to discuss possible compromises on pro-business reforms, budget cuts, and potential tax increases to close a multi-billion dollar deficit.

Illinois’ public colleges and universities used to be affordable, but schools have increased tuition from 74-112 percent over the last decade to help pay for administrative hiring sprees and skyrocketing pensions.

Replacing Illinois’ fair, flat income tax with a progressive tax would mean that some married couples with both spouses working would pay more in state income taxes than if they remained single.

The department — faced with a $2.1 million shortfall caused by the state’s budget impasse — announced last week it was laying off 53 employees. The agency is also suspending nine programs, including its adult psychiatric services.

High-level municipal workers are taking advantage of taxpayer-funded pensions. Public-sector workers across Illinois are able to spike their pay shortly before they retire. Comment: Another IMRF absurdity is the savings account offered to members on which taxpayers must guaranty a 7.5% return. See details linked here.

“America actually needs to have a salutary crisis in Illinois. It will be salutary because it will be a cautionary example for other states if Illinois suffers, without offloading pain on taxpayers elsewhere, the severe consequences of decades of ruinous choices.” Comment: Illinois will soon be “begging” for bankruptcy authorization, he says. Same word we used for what will come for CPS and other muncipalities, including Chicago. Sadly, he’s probably right about the state, too.

Comment: Giving offenders a second chance is a noble goal, but we’re going a little too far if we want employers to be blind to convictions (though arrests mean little). And it’s yet another litigation-inducing, bureaucratic mandate employers have to worry about.

“Here’s a novel idea: Draw up the contract, dot the i’s and cross the t’s, then release it to the public before voting. “State Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, has introduced bills in Springfield that would require governments and taxing bodies to post online copies of draft contracts as soon as the two sides reach an agreement — before a contract is voted up or down. Sunlight would give taxpayers a chance to weigh in on the costs they eventually would shoulder.

The actions come in response to an investigation published this month by The Associated Press, which found that Galesburg had one of the nation’s most persistent problems of lead in drinking water.

Given AFSCME’s and the Rauner administration’s disagreement on core contract issues – such as wage freezes and merit pay – and the likely appeal of any impasse decision reached by the administrative law judge, a final determination on whether AFSCME and the Rauner administration have reached impasse will probably not come until well into the summer – or beyond.

In 2015 alone, Illinois state government redistributed more than $12 billion in income and other taxes to local governments. These financial shell games have created a needlessly complex system and make it difficult for local taxpayers to hold their governments accountable.